Assemblies in what Place soever they are according as they have liberty or opportunity are therefore Church or Publick Assemblies XI The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any Person fitted and gifted by the Holy Ghost unto the Office of Pastor Teacher or Elder in a Church is that he be chosen thereunto by the common Suffrage of the Church it self and solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer with Imposition of Hands of the Eldership of that Church if there be any before constituted therein And of a Deacon that he be chosen by the like Suffrage and set apart by Prayer and the like Imposition of Hands XII The Essence of this Call of a Pastor Teacher or Elder unto Office consists in the Election of the Church together with his Acceptation of it and Separation by Fasting and Prayer And those who are so chosen though not set apart by Imposition of Hands are rightly constituted Ministers of Jesus Christ in whose Name and Authority they Exercise the Ministry to them so committed The Calling of Deacons consisteth in the like Election and Acceptation with Separation by Prayer XIII Although it be incumbent on the Pastors and Teachers of the Churches to be instant in Preaching the Word by way of Office yet the Work of Preaching the Word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Ghost for it and approved being by lawful ways and means in the Providence of God called thereunto may publickly ordinarily and constantly perform it so that they give themselves up thereunto XIV However they who are engaged in the Work of publick Preaching and enjoy the publick Maintenance upon that account are not thereby obliged to dispense the Seals to any other than such as being Saints by Calling and gathered according to the Order of the Gospel they stand related to as Paâ—tors or Teachers yet ought they not â—o neglect others living within their Parochial Bounds but besides their constant publick Preaching to them â—hey ought to enquire after their profiting by the Word instructing them â—n and pressing upon them whether young or old the great Doctrines of the Gospel even personally and particularly so far as their strength and time will admit XV. Ordination alone without the Election or precedent consent of the Church by those who formerly have been Ordained by virtue of that Power they have received by their Ordination doth not constitute any Person a Church-Officer or communicate office-Office-Power unto him XVI A Church furnished with Officers according to the Mind of Christ hath full Power to administer all his Ordinances and where there is want of any one or more Officers required that Officer or those which are in the Church may Administer all the Ordinances proper to their particular Duty and Offices but where there are no Teaching Officers none may Administer the Seals nor can the Church authorize any so to do XVII In the carrying on of Church Administrations no Person ought to be added to the Church but by the consent of the Church it self that so love without dissimulation may be preserved between all the Members thereof XVIII Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed and instituted as a means of Edification that those who walk not according to the Rules and Laws appointed by him in respect of Faith and Life so that just offence doth arise to the Church thereby be censured in his Name and Authority Every Church hath Power in it self to exercise and execute all those Censures appointed by him in the way and Order prescribed in the Gospel XIX The Censures so appointed by Christ are Admonition and Excommunication and whereas some Offences are or may be known only to some it is appointed by Christ that those to whom they are so known do first admonish the Offender in private in publick Offences where any Sin before all or in case of non-amendment upon private Admonition the Offence being related to the Church and the Offender not manifesting his Repentance he is to be duely admonished in the Name of Christ by the whole Church by the Ministry of the Elders of the Church and if this Censure prevail not for his Repentance then he is to be cast out by Excommunication with the consent of the Church XX. As all Believers are bound to joyn themselves to particular Churches when and where they have opportunity so to do so none are to be admitted unto the Privileges of the Churches who do not submit themselves to the Rule of Christ in the Censures for the Government of them XXI This being the way prescribed by Christ in case of Offence no Church-Members upon any Offences taken by them having performed their Duty required of them in this matter ought to disturb any Church-Order or absent themselves from the Publick Assemblies or the Administration of any Ordinances upon that pretence but to wait upon Christ in the further proceeding of the Church XXII The Power of Censures being seated by Christ in a particular Church is to be exercised only towards particular Members of each Church respectively as such and there is no Power given by him unto any Synods or Ecclesiastical Assemblies to Excommunicate or by their publick Edicts to threaten Excommunication or other Church-censures against Churches Magistrates or their People upon any account no Man being obnoxious to that Censure but upon his personal Miscarriage as a Member of a particular Church XXIII Although the Church is a Society of Men assembling for the celebration of the Ordinances according to the appointment of Christ yet every Society assembling for that end or purpose upon the account of Cohabitation within any Civil Precincts and Bounds is not thereby constituted a Church seeing there may be wanting among them what is essentially required thereunto and therefore a Believer living with others in such a Precinct may joyn himself with any Church for his Edification XXIV For the avoiding of Differences that may otherwise arise for the greater Solemnity in the Celebration of the Ordinances of Christ and the opening a way for the larger usefulness of the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost Saints living in one City or Town or within such distances as that they may conveniently Assemble for Divine Worship ought rather to joyn in one Church for their mutual strengthning and Edification than to set up many distinct Societies XXV As all Churches and all the Members of them are bound to pray continually for the Good or Prosperity of all the Churches of Christ in all Plaâ—â—s and upon all occasions to further it Every one within the Bounds of their Places and Callings in the Exercise of their Gifts and Graces So the Churches themselves when planted by the Providence of God so as they may have opportunity and advantage for it ought to hold Communion amongst themselves for their Peace increase of Love and mutual Edification XXVI In Cases of Difficulties or Differences either in point of Doctrine or in Administrations wherein either the Churches in general are concerned or or any one Church in their Peace Union and Edification or any Member or Members of any Church are injured in or by any proceeding in Censures not agreeable to Truth and Order it is according to the Mind of Christ that many Churches holding Communion together do by their Messengers meet in a Synod or Counsel to consider and give their advice in or about that matter in difference to be reported to all the Churches concerned Howbeit these Synods so assembled are not intrusted with any Church Power properly so called or with any Jurisdiction over the Churches themselves to exercise any Censures either over any Churches or Persons or to impose their Determinations on the Churches or Officers XXVII Besides these occasional Synods or Counsels there are not instituted by Christ any stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches or their Officers in lesser or greater Assemblies nor are there any Synods appointed by Christ in a way of Subordination to one another XXVIII Persons that are joyned in Church-Fellowship ought not lightly or without just cause to withdraw themselves from the Communion of the Church whereunto they are so joyned Nevertheless where any Person cannot continue in any Church without his Sin either for want of the Administration of any Ordinances instituted by Christ or by his being deprived of his due Privileges or compelled to any thing in practice not warranted by the Word or in case of Persecution or upon the account of conveniency of Habitation he consulting with the Church or the Officer or Officers thereof may peaceably depart from the Communion of the Church wherewith he hath so walked to joyn himself with some other Church where he may enjoy the Ordinances in the Purity of the same for his Edification and Consolation XXIX Such Reforming Churches as consist of Persons found in the Faith and of Conversation becomming the Gospel ought not to refuse the Communion of each other so far as may consist with their own Principles respectively though they walk not in all things according to the same Rules of Church-Order XXX Churches gathered and walking according to the Mind of Christ judging other Churches though less pure to be true Churches may receive unto occasional Communion with them such Members of those Churches as are credibly testified to be Godly and to live without Offence FINIS
A DECLARATION OF THE FAITH and ORDER Owned and practised in the Congregational Churches IN ENGLAND Agreed upon and consented unto by their Elders and Messengers Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry 1688. A DECLARATION OF THE FAITH and ORDER Owned and Practised in the Congregational Churches IN ENGLAND CHAP. I Of the Holy Scripture ALthough the Light of Nature and the Works of Creation and Providence do so far manifest the Goodness Wisdom and Power of God as to leave Men unexcusable yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and of his Will which is necessary unto Salvation Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself and to declare that his Will unto his Church and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the Truth and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the Flesh and the malice of Satan and of the World to commit the same wholly unto writing which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary those former ways of God's revealing his Will unto his People being now ceased II. Under the Name of Holy Scripture or the Word of God written are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament which are these Of the Old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Of the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John The Acts of the Apostles Paul's Epistle to the Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 To Timothy 2 To Timothy To Titus To Philemon The Epistle to the Hebrews The Epistle of James The first and second Epistles of Peter The first second and third Epistles of John The Epistle of Jude The Revelation All which are given by the Inspiration of God to be the Rule of Faith and Life III. The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scripture and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other humane writings IV. The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any Man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God. V. We may be moved and induced by the Testimony of the Church to an high and reverent Esteem of the Holy Scripture And the heavenliness of the Matter the efficacy of the Doctrine the majesty of the Style the consent of all the parts the scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God the full discovery it makes of the onely way of Man's Salvation the many other incomparable Excellencies and the entire Perfection thereof are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God Yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible Truth and Divine Authority thereof is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our Hearts VI. The whole Counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory Man's Salvation Faith and Life is either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary Consequence may be deduced from Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new Revelations of the Spirit or Traditions of Men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward Illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving Understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word And that there are some Circumstances concerning the Worship of God and Government of the Church common to humane Actions and Societies which are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian Prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which are always to be observed VII All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves nor alike clear unto all yet those things which are necessary to be known believed and observed for Salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not onely the learned but the unlearned in a due Use of the ordinary means may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them VIII The Old Testament in Hebrew which was the Native Language of the People of God of old and the New Testament in Greek which at the time of writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediately inspired by God and by his singular Care and Providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them But because these Original Tongues are not known to all the People of God who have right unto and Interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar Language of every Nation unto which they come that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all they may Worship him in an acceptable manner and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope IX The infallible Rule of Interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self And therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture which is not manifold but one it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly X. The Supreme Judge by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Counsels Opinions of ancient Writers Doctrines of Men and private Spirits are to be examined and in whose Sentence we are to rest can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit into which Scripture so delivered our Faith is finally resolved CHAP. II. Of God and of the Holy Trinity THere is but one onely living and true God who is infinite in Being and Perfection a most pure Spirit invisible without Body Parts or Passions immutable immense eternal incomprehensible almighty most wise most holy most free most absolute working all things according to the Counsel of his own immutable and most righteous Will for his own Glory most loving gracious merciful long-suffering abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and withall most just and terrible in his Judgments hating all sin and who will by no means clear the guilty II. God hath all Life Glory Goodness Blessedness in and of himself and is alone in and unto himself All-sufficient not standing in need of any Creatures which he hath
of the Substance of Bread and Wine into the Substance of Christ's Body and Blood commonly called Transubstantiation by Consecration of a Priest or by any other way is repugnant not to Scripture alone but even to common Sense and Reason overthroweth the Nature of the Sacrament and hath been and is the cause of manifold Superstitions yea of gross Idolatries VII Worthy Receivers outwardly partaking of the visible Elements in this Sacrament do then also inwardly by Faith really and indeed yet not carnally and corporally but spiritually receive and feed upon Christ Crucified and all benefits of his Death the Body and Blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally in with or under the Bread or Wine yet as really but spiritually present to the Faith of Believers in that Ordinance as the Elements themselves are to their outward Senses VIII All ignorant and ungodly Persons as they are unfit to enjoy Communion with Christ so are they unworthy of the Lord's Table and cannot without great Sin against him whilst they remain such partake of these holy Mysteries or be admitted thereunto yea whosoever shall Receive unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord eating and drinking Judgment to themselves CHAP. XXXI Of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead THE Bodies of Men after Death return to Dust and see Corruption but their Souls which neither dye nor sleep having an immortal Subsistence immediately return to God who gave them the Souls of the Righteous being then made perfect in Holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the Face of God in Light and Glory waiting for the full Redemption of their Bodies And the Souls of the Wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in Torment and utter Darkness reserved to the Judgment of the Great Day Besides these two Places for Souls separated from their Bodies the Scripture acknowledgeth none II. At the Last Day such as are found alive shall not dye but be changed and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same Bodies and none other although with different Qualities which shall be united again to their Souls for ever III. The Bodies of the Unjust shall by the Power of Christ be raised to dishonour the Bodies of the Just by his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own glorious Body CHAP. XXXII Of the Last Judgment GOD hath appointed a Day wherein he will Judge the World in Righteousness by Jesus Christ to whom all Power and Judgment is given of the Father in which Day not only the Apostate Angels shall be judged but likewise all Persons that have lived upon Earth shall appear before the Tribunal of Christ to give an account of their Thoughts Words and Deeds and to receive according to what they have done in the Body whether good or evil II. The end of God's appointing this Day is for the Manifestation of the Glory of his Mercy in the eternal Salvation of the Elect and of his Justice in the Damnation of the Reprobate who are Wicked and Disobedient For then shall the Righteous go into everlasting Life and receive that fulness of Joy and Glory with everlasting Reward in the presence of the Lord but the Wicked who know not God and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be cast into eternal Torments and be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power III. As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Judgment both to deterr all Men from Sin and for the greater Consolation of the Godly in their Adversity so will he have that Day unknown to Men that they may shake off all Carnal Security and be always watchful because they know not at what Hour the Lord will come and may be ever prepared to say Come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen OF THE INSTITUTION OF CHURCHES And the ORDER Appointed in them by JESUS CHRIST I. BY the Appointment of the Father all Power for the Calling Institution Order or Government of the Church is invested in a Supreme and Sovereign manner in the Lord Jesus Christ as King and Head thereof II. In the Execution of this Power wherewith he is so intrusted the Lord Jesus calleth out of the World unto Communion with himself those that are given unto him by his Father that they may walk before him in all the ways of Obedience which he prescribeth to them in his Word III. Those thus called through the Ministry of the Word by his Spirit he commandeth to walk together in particular Societies or Churches for their mutual Edification and the due Performance of that Publick Worship which he requireth of them in this World. IV. To each of these Churches thus gathered according unto his Mind declared in his Word he hath given all that Power and Authority which is any way needful for their carrying on that Order in Worship and Discipline which he hath instituted for them to observe with Commands and Rules for the due and right exerting and executing of that Power V. These particular Churches thus appointed by the Authority of Christ and intrusted with Power from him for the ends before expressed are each of them as unto those ends the seat of that Power which he is pleased to communicate to his Saints or Subjects in this World so that as such they receive it immediately from himself VI. Besides these particular Churches there is not instituted by Christ any Church more extensive or Catholick intrusted with Power for the Administration of his Ordinances or the Execution of any Authority in his Name VII A particular Church gathered and compleated according to the Mind of Christ consists of Officers and Members The Lord Christ having given to his called Ones united according to his Appointment in Church Order Liberty and Power to choose Persons fitted by the Holy Ghost for that purpose to be over them and to Minister to them in the Lord. VIII The Members of these Churches are Saints by Calling visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their Profession and Walking their Obedience unto that Call of Christ who being further known to each other by their confession of the Faith wrought in them by the Power of God declared by themselves or otherwise manifested do willingly consent to walk together according to the Appointment of Christ giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God in professed Subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel IX The Officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the Church so called and gathered for the peculiar Administration of Ordinances and Execution of Power or Duty which he intrusts them with or calls them to to be continued to the end of the World are Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons X. Churches thus gathered and assembling for the Worship of God are thereby visible and publick and their